The 76ers’ Michael
Carter-Williams did not practice Wednesday while battling flu-like symptoms.

Carter-Williams made it to the
Sixers’ practice facility, at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, and
was in the trainers’ room when the rookie was advised that he should head home
instead of working out with the team.

Fatigue might be contributing
to Carter-Williams’ rundown state. He spent last weekend in New Orleans, taking
in and participating in All-Star Game-related activities, rather than resting
like most of the league’s players. He also played 31 minutes in Tuesday’s
blowout loss to Cleveland.

For no reason other than
those, Sixers coach Brett Brown said, was Carter-Williams excused from
practice.

“I think that there is not
really a conspiracy theory out there,” Brown said. “I think he is tired. I
think the league is guarding him well.”

Carter-Williams’ play has
diminished of late. His assist-to-turnover ratio for February is in the red. He’s
had 34 assists to 36 turnovers in seven games this month while shooting 36.1
percent, which is well under his season average.

However, he still leads all
rookies in per-game averages for points, assists, rebounds and steals.

There was no reluctance on
Brown’s part, the coach said, in playing Carter-Williams for such lengthy
stretches of a lopsided game Tuesday. That includes the five and a half minutes
he logged in the fourth quarter, when the Cavaliers had stretched their lead to
as many as 34 points.

“I want him to be hardened up.
I want him to get used to NBA life. I want him to get used to understanding you
have to wake up and back it up again and again and again,” Brown said of
Carter-Williams. “That’s the nature of a great NBA point guard. You have to
lead by example. You have to navigate through this period.

“For me to play him, knowing
he had been away at All-Star weekend, was purposeful and calculated and I would
do it again.”